Saffron is an excellent natural antidepressant

Research has revealed that saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a great herb for fighting depression. The study, which was published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, looked at the effects of saffron on anxiety and depression.

Drugs used to treat anxiety and depression come with serious side effects, so alternative therapies like herbal medicines are needed.

A team of researchers from China, Iran, and the U.K. proposed saffron as a herbal medicine for anxiety and depression.

The research team evaluated the effects of saffron extract for the treatment of anxiety and depression using a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design.

They recruited 60 adults patients with anxiety and depression and randomly divided them into two groups: an intervention and a placebo group.

The intervention group received a 50 milligram (mg) saffron capsule.

The placebo group received a placebo capsule.

The participants received the saffron capsule and placebo twice a day for 12 weeks.

They also answered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaires at the beginning of the study and six and 12 weeks after the treatment.

Only 54 participants completed the study.

The results showed that saffron supplements significantly improved the BDI and BAI scores of the participants.

The results of the study suggested that saffron supplementation had a significant effect on the treatment of anxiety and depression disorder.